Why nobody talks about using a level on the crane hook

I was setting steel on a job in Portland last month and kept having trouble getting the beams to sit square. After three tries on one column, I took a 4-foot level out of my truck and clamped it to the hook block. It showed me the hook was actually tilted about 2 degrees to the left. Once I adjusted the boom angle to get the block level, the beam came down flat on the first try. Has anyone else dealt with a crooked hook causing fit-up issues?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia_burns98d ago

Ever check your crane level yourself or just trust the indicator?

laura_ross8d ago

Hang on @julia_burns9, I actually had a close call last year that made me never trust the indicator alone. Was working a tight spot near a gas line and the gauge said we were perfectly level, but my gut told me something felt off. So I jumped out with a manual level and the thing was off by almost 2 degrees. Turns out the sensor had a loose connection from all the vibration. Now I double check with a good old fashioned bubble level every time before I lift anything serious, especially on uneven ground. It takes two extra minutes but beats the hell out of a $50k repair bill.